1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an integral urine collector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Several designs for urine collectors have been designed in the past. None of them, however, includes a frustoconical member integrally mounted to the open end of the collection tube to facilitate the insertion of a removable funnel member and the collection of the urine without spillage.
Applicant believes that the closest reference corresponds to his pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/287,885, filed on Nov. 6, 2002, for a urine collector. However, it differs from the present invention because the present application has a frustoconical member integrally built in a collection tube adjacent to the open end. The frustoconical member includes an internal locking block with a rhombus-shape internal through aperture that cooperatively receives the narrow end of the removable funnel member to facilitate the collection of the urine. The funnel member typically has a flat configuration when at rest, which a user can readily resiliently deform by pressing on the longitudinal edges or folds. The cross-section of the narrow end changes from a flattened rhombus shape to a square shape and, if the force applied increases, it acquires a rhombus shape again. To match the cross-section of the internal through aperture, in the preferred embodiment a user depresses the narrow end until a square cross-section is achieved and the narrow end is inserted therethrough until the frustropyramidal shape causes the walls to engage those of the funnel locking assembly. None of the urine collectors provide for such a mechanism that avoids drastic movements that are susceptible to cause spillages. Many old and handicapped patients have difficulties with the prior art mechanisms.
Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggests the novel features of the present invention.